Singer Billy Currington charged with making threat

FILE - Billy Currington arrives at the 59th Annual BMI Country Awards in Nashville on in this Nov. 8, 2011 file photo. Currington was indicted Wednesday April 24, 2013 in Georgia on charges that he threatened bodily harm to a man older than 65. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Country singer Billy Currington has been indicted in Georgia on charges that he threatened bodily harm to a man older than 65.

A Chatham County grand jury indicted Currington on Wednesday on charges of making terroristic threats and abuse of an elderly person. The indictment says only that Currington threatened "to cause bodily harm" to a man named Charles Harvey Ferrelle on April 15.

Ferrelle, 70, owns a charter boat and was doing a tour when Currington allegedly began screaming at him and two passengers, according to a Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan police report. Ferrelle told investigators Currington later got into his own boat with a camera, followed him to a dock and threatened him.

"If I hadn't gotten into my slip fast enough, I believe he would have run me over," Ferrelle told police, according to the incident report.

Ferrelle called police again the next day saying he was in fear of his life because he had another tour scheduled and would have to pass by Currington's property again after being threatened. A woman also called police saying she was the caretaker of an elderly man who was nearly run over by a boater at his dock and she wanted to file an incident report. Authorities determined the woman was talking about the incident involving Currington.

Daniel Baxter, a spokesman for District Attorney Meg Heap, says a warrant was being issued for Currington's arrest.

The singer took to his Twitter account Wednesday thanking fans for their support but sent a message saying he couldn't comment on the matters since it is an ongoing investigation. On April 17, the singer sent a message to his over 200,900 followers saying "Harrassing (sic) artists often at their home by boat should be illegal. thas all i know."

Neither Ferrelle nor a representative for Currington immediately responded to messages seeking comment. It was not known if Currington had hired an attorney.

Currington is a native of the Georgia coast. His hits include "Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer," ''That's How Country Boys Roll" and "People Are Crazy."